


Our Home

by sigynwrites_13



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies), Vikings (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vikings, Animal Sacrifice, Blood, Character Death, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Human Sacrifice, Loki x Reader - Freeform, Mentions of Blood, Mentions of Death, One Shot, Triggers, mentions of sacrifices, writing challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-07 04:46:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17953865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sigynwrites_13/pseuds/sigynwrites_13
Summary: viking age au





	Our Home

**Author's Note:**

> hii, this is an entry for a writing challenge i hope u enjoy it.  
> pls be aware there are triggering topics!  
> feedback is welcome :)

Feeding the goats was the last thing you wanted to do after eating, so when your mother told you to do it you couldn’t help but groan. Father didn’t like it, seeing as he shot you a warning look, his eyebrows where drawn closer, eyes staring at you and his lips set in a line.

“You do as your mother says, now go.” You recoiled in your seat at his tone and looked at your mother, asking for help, but she only raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, father.” Collecting your things, you stood up from the chair and left the table.

The twins, Brynjar and Sigrid who were nine, continued eating as if nothing had happened and it angered you even more. They never did anything but play because they were  _too young_ and mother always had them doing the simplest tasks while you were given the burden of taking care of the animals, help mother cook and watch your siblings. You weren’t mad about it, you loved them, but it was very tiresome and the fact that you also had to work everyday frustrated you.

The family was going through a rough patch, father worked for the earl and traveled most of the year but lately they have been coming back from their trips empty handed. And mother worked at the farm and also made tapestries to sell, but because of the low income from the raids no one in town had money to spend in tapestries. Because of this, you were forced to work as a maid for the earl’s wife, luckily she was a nice woman and never mistreated you.

Once you were out of the house, you looked up at the sky and closed your eyes. “Odin, must you keep tormenting my family like this?”

Of course nothing happened. Were you really expecting Odin, the god himself, to appear in front of you and solve your problems with the snap of his fingers? Truth is, yes. You were waiting for him to appear. You had heard stories from other people who had problems and doubts and they talked to the gods, praying for help and they would appear in their dreams telling them what to do.

But when Odin didn’t appear in front of you, you sighed and went to the back of the house to feed the goats.

***     *     *     ***

One night you caught yourself on the verge of tears. Mother and father were fighting, yelling at each other and there was nothing you could do but pray. You had tried to separate them once during a fight and you ended up in the floor after your mother accidentally pushed you instead of your father. After that, they told you to stay away from their fights.

You knew your parents loved each other and their family. Father always told you and your siblings stories about the gods and goddesses and the great fights he had when he went away in his travels. Mother was very loving as well, she used to take you to the lake near the town and you would spend the whole day swimming and playing with her. But when things got rough, the fighting began and so did the tension between them.

A sudden thump followed by a crash and swearing got you out of your daydream. Trying to distract yourself, you turned on your bed and faced the wall. Praying was the only option left.

“Odin, Freyr and Thor. Heimdall, Njord and Vali. Loki, Balder and Tyr. Lords, I plead and ask for your help. Please let my family go to the way it was: peaceful and loving. Allow my father’s trips to be successful so we can be happy again. Let the gold and prosperity flow in my home, your home, and fill our pockets so we can survive. My lords, do as you will with me but give us gold.”

A tear fell from your eye and with a shaky breath you tried to compose yourself. Hopefully the gods will hear your prayer and help you, but for now you could only wait.

***     *     *     ***

A week later everything was still the same. Your parents kept fighting and you still had to work for the earl’s wife. You felt helpless. Where the gods ignoring you? You knew you had to be patient and have faith in them, but you didn’t have time, you were afraid one day your family would fall apart. Because of this, you decided to make an offering to the gods.

With the little money you had saved from work, you spent it on a goat. You thought about using one from the farm but you knew mother would question you about it, so it was best if you just bought one.

You waited until nightfall to perform the sacrifice. Before you did anything, you decided to prepare a small altar at the back of the house, close to the woods, where no one could notice it. You had a small sculpture, made from wood, of Loki. You hesitated, contemplating if it was worth the sacrifice for a god whose specialty wasn’t richness and money, but he was the only one you had and stealing your father’s Odin sculpture wasn’t an option.

Once you placed the small ornament, you lit up a few candles around it and placed small offerings, like food and a gold coin. Happy with the results, you went back to the front and grabbed the goat by the rope, pulling it until you were at the back again. You picked up the blade and closed your eyes. You had never done this before and you were scared of hurting the animal more than necessary. From what you knew, it had to be done quickly, a clean cut on its throat to ensure a good amount of blood. Once you steadied your breaths, you gripped tightly the rope and opened your eyes. Slicing the goat’s throat, the blood poured from its neck to the bowl and filled it. You let out a breath and dropped the blade. Dipping your fingers in the blood, you placed them on your cheek and closed your eyes.

“Please my Lords, accept this sacrifice and hear my prayers.”

You let go of the goat’s head and picked up the bowl, taking it to the altar. Once you placed it there, you went back for the goat and carried it, dropping it next to the altar and sighed.

Looking around you made sure no one saw you. You didn’t know what else to do, so you decided to sit down next to the altar and keep praying. But as you were about to start, you heard footsteps near you.

You quickly stood up and walked towards it, only to come face to face with your mother.

“What are you doing here?” She questioned you and stared at you with her arms crossed.

“I-I was… I–” but before you could make up an excuse, she interrupted you again.

“It doesn’t matter. Get in. Time for dinner.” Turning on her heels, she walked back to the house again and left you standing alone.

You furrowed your brows in confusion. She didn’t mention anything about the blood on your face. Bringing your hand to your cheek, you noticed it felt dry. You kept rubbing it but not even a single drop came out. Frowning, you turned to look at the altar and gasped.

The goat was gone.

Running to the altar, you looked around trying to find the goat but you saw nothing. The bowl with blood was gone as well and there was a parchment of paper next to the candles. You grabbed it and opened it, reading it fast. Once you made sense of the words in front of you, you felt the paper fall from your grasp onto the candles and saw it burn to ashes.

_Thank you for the food, mortal. Although, I must say it was rather…_ **_bloody_ ** _. Expect a visit from me very soon. – L_

***     *     *     ***

The next day you continued your activities like nothing had happened. You went to the earl’s home and spent the whole morning accompanying his wife and then came home at noon to help with the animals. You kept thinking about the words you read the night before. Could it be really him? Loki the God of Mischief?

You were cleaning the feces of the animals when you heard a scoff.

“If this is what you need help with, you might as well start forgetting about it.” A male’s voice spoke and took you by surprise. It sounded deep and mocking.

You looked up and saw a tall man standing before you. He looked bored even if he had great posture, he radiated confidence and you had to admit, it intimidated you.

Wiping your hands off on your clothes you stood up and addressed him. “Can I help you, sir?”

“I believe it was the other way around.” His mocking tone again greeted you.

With your brows furrowed, you opened your mouth to speak but he beat you to it.

“I’m Loki, God of Mischief and Lies. And you…” He began to walk, getting closer to you. “You called me for help. Did you not?”

You were at a loss of words. You wanted to believe him but this was so crazy. A God, helping you in person? He must have noticed the hesitance in your posture because seconds later he huffed out a breath.

“You don’t believe me, do you?” He sighed dramatically as he rolled his eyes. “Well, I guess I have to prove myself.”

Grabbing you by the arm, he pulled you towards your house ignoring your surprised yelp. Once you were in, he continued to drag you until you were standing in the kitchen, watching mother cook. Suddenly, he picked up a plate from the table and, without a second thought, let it slip from his fingers and smash on the floor. Mother jumped in her place, startled by the noise and so did you. You stared at ‘Loki’ and then switched your eyes to your mother, no one said anything. He had a smile on his face and seemed to be controlling his laughter, at this you arched your brow in a questioning manner while staring at him again.

“Are you going to say anything?”

Mother’s voice caught your attention again and you turned towards her. Still not knowing what exactly was going on, you answered. “I don’t know him.”

She furrowed her brows and looked at you strangely. “Him? What are you talking about?”

Her question confused you more and you looked at Loki asking for answers but he kept shaking in laughter. “T-the plate… it was his fault.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

You were surprised by mother’s tone, she sounded so pissed but you didn’t understand, why was she angry at you? As you were about to reply, she interrupted you.

“Don’t.” Her eyes closed and she breathed deeply. “I don’t have time for this.”

Collecting her things, mother began to make her way to the door. Loki still stood there, right next to you, so mother would have to go around him to reach the exit, but she didn’t. She kept walking, coming closer to him and as you were to tell her to watch out she went straight through Loki and looked at you suspiciously. Your mouth was hanging open, not believing your eyes but when you looked at Loki, he had a wide smile on his face and winked at you.

***     *     *     ***

After the incident at the kitchen you dragged Loki to the woods behind your house to question him about what happened. He didn’t wait for you to speak, quickly beating you to it.

“I told you I was a God.”

He stared at his nails, picking the non existent dirt from them as he leaned on a tree. You’d expect him to yell or feel insulted by your behavior but he seemed pretty calm.

“Aren’t you mad?” Your voice wavered but he chose to ignore it. Rubbing his chin, he cocked his head to the side, examining you.

“Hm… I don’t have time for that. Besides, it has been centuries since someone asked  _me_  for help.” He smirked and looked you up and down, making you feel uncomfortable. “I’m flattered.”

“So, you are really here to help me?” You asked again just to be sure that this was really happening. If he meant what he said, then you didn’t have to worry anymore about money.

He scoffed and pushed himself away from the tree, walking until he was standing right in front of you. “That is what I just said.”

Nodding your head, you took a step away from him suddenly feeling suffocated by his body being so close to yours. He must have noticed, because he smirked again but walked away from you, leaning on the tree, again.

“You better tell me what you need before I change my mind and leave.”

Your eyes opened, terrified that he would suddenly leave.

“I need money!”

The words came out rushed and your tone was needy. Loki lifted his eyebrow in a dismissing manner. You felt your cheeks get warm and the anxiety creeping up on you. Clearing your throat, you tried to explain yourself.

“My f-family… we have no money a-and there are debts to pay and–” He lifted his hand and you immediately shut your mouth.

“I thought it would be more interesting.” He whispered the words under his breath but you heard him nonetheless.

He pushed himself away from the tree and closed his eyes. There was a glow emanating from his hands and when you blinked again there was a large wooden trunk on his hands. Handing it to you, he spoke again. “Anything else?”

“I can’t take it!” Your sudden outburst made him flinch slightly. Before he said anything, you explained yourself. “Not like this. They’ll think I stole it.”

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he faked a smile as the trunk disappeared. “Very well. I’ll make sure your father’s trips are successful. Is that better?”

His tone was dripping with sarcasm, making you direct your eyes to the ground in shame.

“Yes, my lord.”

***     *     *     ***

The town was prospering again.

After your talk with Loki, a fortnight later father sailed west and when they returned they were filled with gold. Everyone was both happy and relieved about it, finally a sign that good times where coming and that the gods didn’t abandon us.

You kept working for the earl’s wife but now just occasionally and on your free time, you either helped mother with the tapestries or sat by the lake, finally having time for yourself. During your free time you couldn’t help but notice Loki lurking around the town. He always happened to be wherever you were and most of the times he acknowledged you with a wave or a playful smile.

One day, you were sitting on your own by the lake, watching the scenery before you. Nightfall was on its way and the orange tint from the sunset made the lake look beautiful. You heard someone approach you but you paid no mind. It wasn’t until they sat next to you that you decided to see who was it.

“I’ve been watching you for quite a while and I must say you are a very serious lady for your age.”

Loki stared at you with squinted eyes, as if trying to figure you out. He was leaning on his arms, his legs stretched in front of him. Rolling your eyes you rejected his observation.

“I am no lady. And I am not serious, at all.”

He raised his brows, silently questioning your answer which made you look back at your words and smile.

“Fine, perhaps a little.” Your defensive tone made him laugh.

His lips stretched into a wide smile making his teeth show up and wrinkles appeared around his eyes. He looked carefree when he laughed and, you had to admit, very attractive too. You were so lost in his smile that you didn’t notice his hand stretched out waiting for yours.

“What?”

He laughed again and shook his head, amused by your reaction. “You have to learn how to have fun. Come with me.”

He helped you to stand up and then he began to make his way towards the water. He kept walking until he was knees deep, he must have noticed the lack of your presence because when he turned around there was a frown on his face.

“Come mortal!”

Huffing out a breath, you finally followed him until you were right next to him. “I’m here, now what?”

He didn’t say a word as you watched him lean forward, cupping his hands and then filling them with water. Without warning he threw it at you making your hair drip on your face. Looking at him you saw him smirk, eyes glimmering with mischief.

You stood there still in shock, not believing what had just happened. You felt a jab on your side, it was Loki trying to get your attention.

“Come on, are you going to stand there forever?” His whiny tone confused you.

Did he want you to splash him?

He seemed to read your mind because a second later his smirk was back on his face, nodding his head. You glanced back to the water, grazing the tip of your fingers on it and next thing you knew, you had splashed him.

His roaring laughter got a smile out of you. The sight of him was very enchanting. His hair sitting flat on his face and droplets of water falling from the tip of his nose. His green eyes glistened thanks to the light coming from the sun.

Out of nowhere he submerged himself and began to swim around you. Once he came out of the water, he quickly embraced you in his arms making you scream and drenching your clothes.

“I got you.” His mouth was right next to your ear, so when he whispered the words it sent a chill down your spine.

You made the mistake to turn your head in his direction. Still holding you tightly in his arms, you stared at each other and his smirk grew. Without notice, he submerged again but this time he dragged you with him. Once you came out for air you heard his loud laugh. You turned your head to watch him, he looked so carefree and youthful that, for a moment, you forgot he was an immortal God.

Coming down from his laughing fit, he began to make his way to the shore and you followed him. You were about to protest of the chilling breeze when green light emanated from his hands. He directed it towards you and two seconds later you were not only dry but also you felt warmth engulfing you, stopping you from shivering.

“I hope to see you like this more often.” His sudden words drew your attention to him. As you were about to question what he meant, he spoke again.

“Not worried, just happy and relaxed.”

His words certainly hit home and you felt a pang on your chest. Looking at the ground, you tried to avoid his eyes now that it seemed that with just one look he could figure you out.

“It’s all thanks to you, my Lord. Setting my family free from its problems has made me happy.” It was true after all, if there was someone to thank for the prospering of the town it was him.

“Please, call me Loki.” His gentle voice made it impossible to keep ignoring his stare and you gave up.

Looking at him, straight in the eyes, you smiled.

“Thank you, Loki.”

***     *     *     ***

It had been five days after your hang out with Loki at the lake and he kept appearing wherever you were, causing mischief. Because you were the only one who could see him, it was extremely difficult to keep your laughs at bay.

You were helping mother by selling the tapestries at the town when he showed up. At first he just sat next to you and played with your hair, but then he grew bored and he made it known to you with a very dramatic sigh. You only rolled your eyes and smiled at the lady in front of you.

Not happy with being ignored, Loki began to pull at your hair, one tug being particularly painful that it made you yelp.

“Stop!” Your hushed tone made him smirk. “If you keep that up everyone is going to think I’ve gone mad.”

He smirked at the idea you just gave him. After all he wasn’t called the God of Mischief for nothing.

You were busy talking with the woman that you didn’t notice him standing up from his spot next to you. He placed himself behind you and his hands hovered over your waist. He watched you talk animatedly with her and he took that as his chance. Grazing the tip of his fingers on your sides, you let out a loud yelp, scaring the woman in front of you in consequence. You must have looked like a crazy girl when you turned around to glare at the empty space, but of course it wasn’t empty, at least not for your eyes.

Loki’s laugh was loud and obnoxious, your glare did nothing but provoke it even more. You tried to shush him to no avail and once he calmed down a bit he raised his brows and smiled mockingly.

“Love, have you gone mad already?” At your confused stare he proceeded to explain. “You are talking to the air, my lovely mortal.”

Suddenly aware of the situation, you turned again to face the woman who was interested in the tapestries, but she was gone. You sighed in defeat and sat on the ground, there was no way that you could do your job with Loki by your side. But for some odd reason, you didn’t want him to leave, his presence made you feel a little less alone and if you were being honest, he was fun to be around.

“Are you all right?” Gentleness filled his voice, feeling a bit guilty for scaring the customer away.

You wiped at your face with your hands, groaning. Loki didn’t know what to do, he only meant to tease you but now it seemed that you were annoyed at him and he understood. Standing up, he began to walk away until he heard your voice call his name.

“Loki? Where are you going?” The confusion in your voice made him feel a tug in his chest.

Clearing his throat, he addressed you. “Forgive me for interfering with your duties, I think it’s best if I leave you be.”

He watched your face contort in horror and your mouth open in search of an answer. “Why would you think that?”

“I am afraid I am a burden to you.”

The vulnerability in his voice was clear and you felt your heart constrict painfully. He was not a burden and the fact that he thought so pained you.

“No, Loki. You are not a burden.” Your tone was soft, afraid to scare him away. “I would like it very much if you could keep me company. If you want, of course.”

Relief washed over him, his once tense posture, falling into a more relaxing one. He walked back to you and sat on the ground. Smiling, he got closer to you and moved his hands towards your hair. He began to braid small sections of it while the both of you stayed in silence. After a few minutes, he peeked a look, wanting to look at you and what he saw made his heart soar.

There you were, sitting next to him with your eyes closed and a soft smile on your lips. He couldn’t help but mirror your smile as he kept braiding your hair.

***     *     *     ***

A month later your relationship with Loki had grown tremendously.

During the day he always visited you, appearing around and causing mischief as you did your chores. He took great advantage of the fact that he could only be seen by you, which caused you so much trouble. But at night it was a whole different thing.

You found yourself, many nights, star-gazing with him at the forest or at the lake. Those two places were your favourites, the beauty of the scenery always took your breath away and it was a bonus that no one really frequented those spots besides Loki and you, of course.

It was a known thing between the both of you that after your last meal of the day you would meet at the back of your home, right were you had first set up the little altar, and then you’d make your way, either to the lake or forest, together.

One night, as you waited for him to show up, your mind wandered to thoughts you had been dismissing for the past weeks. You were aware of Loki’s charming looks, but when he spoke, his thoughts and feelings about the universe amazed you. Of course that being a God came with a lot of knowledge and wisdom, but he was patient enough to teach or explain to you anything you wanted, from the silliest most insignificant thing to the great wonders of the universe.

You couldn’t help but feel attracted. His intelligence was impressive and his drive to cause mischief was adorable and if you combined it with the looks, oh norns. Unconsciously you let out a dreamy sigh.

“Thinking about me, mortal?”

Your head snapped in his direction as you felt your heart rate spike up at the sound of his voice. Feeling your face flush, you bite back as a defense mechanism.

“You wish.”

Fine, it wasn’t your smartest move,  _but_ it got a laugh out of him, a beautiful one, and that was enough for your poor heart.

“Forest or lake?”

With a quizzical stare you replied. “Are you finally letting me choose?”

Loki shrugged his shoulders but you could see the tiny smirk making its way on his lips.

“Thought I could make an exception. Just for you, my dear.”

Oh norns. Why did he had to say it like that. Was he flirting? Or was it just a friendly banter? Did he mean to say that nickname or is he just mocking you?

You knew you had to give him an answer, but your mind was a mess and without noticing, your reply sounded empty, like you didn’t care, and it definitely cut short whatever you had going on a few seconds ago.

“Forest.”

Loki raised his brows but said nothing. You began to make your way, not waiting for him, but he quickly picked up your step, walking right next to you.

As you walked towards the forest, your mind kept wandering to your previous thoughts. His presence was stronger now that you discovered your new found feelings for him. He walked as graceful as ever, with his chin up and long strides. Loki was very confident, a trait anyone would have by the mere knowledge of being a God. But he had his moments when he acted just like you, like a human.

“What plagues your thoughts?”

His tone was teasing but the small smile on his face showed concern.

Caught off guard, you felt a blush growing on your cheeks. Keeping your face down, you told him it was nothing.

Once you reached  _the spot,_  the top of a big rock surrounded by the forest but with an opening to the skies, you quickly sat on the grass and lifted your head. The stars looked beautiful, shinning and twinkling around the moon. Loki, who had been left behind by your excitement, finally stepped out of the forest and ended up stopping on his tracks, speechless by the sight in front of him.

A beautiful young woman, sitting on top of a rock with her head tilted back and a wide smile on her face. The moonlight fell on you, making you look out of this world just like the celestial bodies above of you. He felt his heart swell and the sudden urge to be next to you made him step forward.

The dry leaves and twigs crunched under his weight and broke you out of your daze. You looked at him and smiled, patting the space next to you. Almost running to you, Loki reached the rock and sat. The dreamy look on his face made him look even more handsome than he already was, which wasn’t helping your case.

“Now I understand why you chose the forest.”

Somehow, his voice sounded breathless but the smile he sent you afterwards made you forget about it as you felt yourself melting in love.

Sitting in a comfortable silence, your mind began to fill with thoughts about him and how your shoulders were pressed against each other. Unbeknownst to you, Loki’s mind was just like yours.

“I can’t go on like this any longer.”

His words caught you by surprise and when you took a look at his face worry and dread began to fill your body. What was going on? Was he leaving?

He stood up and turned around to face you. Once he was in front of you, he grabbed your hands tightly while his eyes looked for yours. He looked terrified, you had never seen him like that and the thought that something could bother him in such a way made you scared too. You watched him sigh and felt the dread consume you. You saw him move his mouth but you were so frightened that you missed what he said. The expectant look on his face made you come back to reality.

“I’m sorry. What did you say?”

You saw his face fall but a second later he smiled again, his lips stretching into a tight lipped smile.

“Never mind.” He released your hands and walked away.

You stared at him, not knowing what to do. You recalled the terror in his eyes and decided that it was an important topic and there’s no way you’re going to let it slip like that.

“Loki!” He stopped walking but he kept facing away from you. “Please, tell me what’s the matter.”

“It is not important.”

His voice sounded defeated but you kept pushing, something was bothering him and you had to know. “It must be. You looked so scared.”

He sighed and turned to face you. Staring at you, you saw him walk slowly towards you, his green eyes shinning and his hair flowing around thanks to the wind.

You began to walk as well, meeting him halfway through. This time you were the one who grabbed his hands. He tensed up but when he saw you smile reassuringly at him a small flame of hope lighted up inside him.

Taking a deep breath, Loki closed his eyes and when he opened them again the sight of you waiting expectantly spurred something in him.

“You are beautiful.”

Your eyes widened as you felt your face flush. The look in his eyes was intense but at the same time it was gentle. With a trembling voice you replied to him. “T–thank you.”

He only nodded but he knew he couldn’t just leave it like that.

“You are beautiful but you are far more than that.” He paused briefly to tighten the hold of your hands. “You have taught me how to enjoy life and how the simplest most ordinary things can mean everything if they are shared with the right person.”

A tiny smile made its way to your face as your insides churned, overwhelmed by his words. He had taught you so many things as well, but the fact that he chose to stay, even after he helped you, meant a lot to you.

“Your company is a blessing to me and I am forever grateful that you allowed me to be in presence of it all this time.” Hearing those words leave your mouth made Loki feel his chest fill with love. He never thought that you would cherish it as much as he did.

With a new found confidence he continued. “And I am forever grateful that the norns permitted me to meet you. A tender yet strong soul, filled with love for her loved ones and willing to sacrifice herself for a greater good.”

His breathing was getting heavier by the minute, product of his heart beating faster but he  _had_  to continue. There was so much more he had to say.

“I am afraid I cannot hide any longer my profound admiration for you that, without me knowing, turned into something even more deep: love.” Loki’s voice was now just a whisper but it had the same effect. You felt your pulse in your ears and warmth rushing to your face.

“I am not the most experienced one to talk about it but know this.” He let go of your hands to hold your face and, staring straight at you, he muttered the words that would send your heart into a stop. “I can’t live a life without you in it.”

You were speechless.

Never in a million years you would’ve taught that he would reciprocate your feelings. You watched how his eyes begged for an answer but words were caught in your throat and you needed to reassure him this was mutual.

Standing on the tip of your toes, you softly placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. Once you were back on your feet, you smiled at him and saw him mirror it. The tiny smile soon turned into a wide one and in the next second he was laughing, shoulders slumped in relief and joy taking over his face.

Not being able to help himself, Loki moved his hands from your face to your shoulders, pulling you into an embrace and gently rocking you side to side. Placing his mouth next to your ear, he whispered words that sent shivers down your spine.

“You have no idea how happy you make me.” Separating himself from you he looked at you, the adoration clear in his eyes. “Will you be mine?”

Nodding your head, you smiled as your eyes filled with tears. He laughed again, the joy spreading all over his body and soul as he held you close to his chest again. He kissed your forehead and in return you hugged him tighter.

You couldn’t be happier.

***     *     *     ***

At the beginning everything went smoothly.

Loki kept visiting you and spending time with you. He was now more romantic and you were more carefree and open with him. He would show up with flowers and then proceed to braid them into your hair. The trust you had in him grew more and more each day, making you giddy and happier than you have ever been. You always found yourself talking about anything with him, somehow your conversations were always interesting even if they were about the most boring things on earth. Sadly, after a few weeks reality began to kick in.

As much as you loved spending time together, Loki couldn’t be seen by other people, so that ended up with you talking to the air in the eyes of everyone else. Mother and father grew concerned about it, thinking that you had gone mad, even if you kept reassuring them that you were all right.

Loki’s  _job_  as a God also interfered between the both of you. His duties sometimes forced him to be away from you for days, making you miss each other like crazy. And when he came back it was impossible for you to stay away from him, which brought more trouble at home because you ditched your chores to go somewhere else and spend time with him.

One day, you were sitting by the lake when the inevitable happened.

“We cannot go on like this.”

Loki’s defeated tone made you turn your head in his direction. You were stuck between his arms, so you didn’t have much freedom to move around, but when you faced him your heart broke at the sight in front of you.

His eyes were looking at the lake but you could tell he was lost in his own head. His brows were drawn together and his lips were pursed, a sour expression on his face. Trying to get his attention, you reached forward and kissed him softly on his jaw finally making him divert his eyes towards you. Hugging you tightly, he let out a sigh and kissed your cheek, nuzzling his head on your neck right after.

“What do you think we should do?” Your soft tone reminded him, again, of your problem.

“I don’t want to give up.” Whining, he brought you closer to his chest unconsciously refusing to let you go.

An idea came to you and it was rather risky but you just had to ask. “I know this is a lot to ask for, but maybe you could ditch your life as a God and stay with me as a mortal?”

You stared at him, a bit afraid of his answer thinking that he would call you crazy. Perhaps you didn’t mean  _that_  much to him and what you were asking was way too much. Already regretting your suggestion, you opened your mouth to say you didn’t mean it when suddenly he interrupted you.

“It is not a bad idea but I’m afraid I would loose all my power and I won’t be able to protect you like I am now.”

Your heart grew at the thought that his main concern was your safety. He was willing to sacrifice his title as a God just to be able to stay with you. As you tried to find a way to make it work you kept coming up with obstacles and more problems.

“And it also means that once we die, we are done. Years will have to pass before we go to Valhalla and– wait.” Realization dawned on you making you gasp.

Loki loosened his embrace a bit so he could face you properly. He stared at you as you murmured to yourself, coming up with multiple scenarios trying to see if there were any setbacks to your plan. When you found none, you excitedly exclaimed: “That’s it. I got it!”

His confused face scrunched up even more. “I’m not following, my dear.”

Grabbing his hands, you brought them to your chest and held them tightly. Smiling, you explained it to him.

“Why live a few years when we can be together forever?!”

You saw his face go from confused to neutral and then to astonishment.

“No! You are not doing it.”

Expecting his outburst, you tried to reason with him. “Loki come on. It’s the only way!”

Shaking his head, he refused to understand. “I’m sure it’s not and even if it was, do you have any idea of what that implies?”

“Yes.” With a strong voice, you kept pushing. “I know that you basically live in Valhalla, feasting and living among the rest of the gods for eternity. Why can’t I do that?”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he closed his eyes. “It is not your time, not yet. Besides, I am not always there, sometimes I like to stay at my hall.”

“Listen,” Letting go of his hands you grasp his face, forcing him to look at you straight in the eye. “If I do this, we get to be together for the rest of our existence. Just a little sooner than we expected.”

Loki began to give in, you could see it in his eyes. He didn’t want you to give up your life, but he could see how this worked out for the both of you.

“Together... forever?” He mumbled as he sighed, avoiding eye contact with you.

Smiling softly at him you nodded your head. He looked away as he contemplated your proposition. It wasn’t until a few minutes later that he finally looked at you again.

“Are you sure about this?” His stern tone showed that he wasn’t playing around with this. He knew it wasn’t a decision you should be taking lightly.

“Completely sure.”

He stared at you for a few seconds, looking for a sign that could tell him that it was a bad idea. But as he kept staring he lost himself in your eyes, staring dreamily at him.  

Joining your foreheads he finally exhaled, giving up.

“I love you, never doubt that.”

You felt yourself fill with warmth at his words. You stood on the tips of your toes and pecked him on the lips. Once you pulled away, you said it back.

“And I love you, my love.”

***     *     *     ***

You knew that in a few weeks the blót would be held at Uppsala, so that gave you plenty of time to think of what to say to your family. But time flies and when you least expected it you were already making your way to the temple.

Loki was with you but he wasn’t visible so you avoided talking to him during the walk. It wasn’t until many hours later that you finally arrived and got a bit of privacy. Loki was looking at you with a raised brow.

“You have to tell them now.” He kept staring at you as you paced around the room. “Unless you don’t want to do it anymore.”

Stopping abruptly, you looked at him with your eyes wide open.

“No! It’s not that. It’s just–” Sighing, you rubbed your temples in distress. “I don’t know how to tell them without sounding crazy.”

He didn’t answer for a few seconds but then he saw your parents approach.

“I think now is your chance, love.”

Confused, you looked at him and then followed his eyes. You saw father entering the tent, mother following shortly. Turning to face Loki again, you noticed he was gone.

You had to do it now.

You studied your parents for a moment, watching as father placed the ingredients for your meal at the table and mother picked them up to wash them. Clearing your throat, you successfully caught their attention.

“I must have a word with you.”

After looking at each other, father nodded his head and gestured for you to come closer. Once you were all sitting at the table you began to play with your hands.

“I-I was thinking about doing an offer to the gods.”

You saw them nod their head slightly, signaling you to carry on.

“I want to be in the nine sacrifice.”

Mother immediately turned her head to look at your father, alarmed. Father remained neutral, not giving away his emotions but you caught the slight opening of his eyes in surprise.

“You don’t have to do it. It’s your first time here, you don’t have to do it.” His tone was firm but you could hear the faint crack in his voice at the end. “Besides, Torstein’s slave is doing it. They don’t need more people.”

“The slave escaped. He doesn't believe so it wouldn’t have worked out anyway.” You explained him the situation. It was very convenient that they needed one more person.

Father looked at his hands and shook his head. He never thought of bringing you there, to the temple, and come back home without you. You weren’t supposed to be one of them and yet there you were, asking to participate.

“I know it’s a drastic decision, but hear me out. My faith in the gods it’s big, now more than ever.” Trying to make him reason with you, you confessed. “Father, do you remember that time, months ago, when we had no money and the raids were unsuccessful?”

Furrowing his brows he nodded, not really understanding what it had to do with this.

Reaching out across the table, you grabbed his hands. “I prayed to the gods for their help and they answered me! Weeks later you came back with your ships filled with gold!”

You saw him look at mother, both with surprise in their eyes. Turning to face you again, you saw father’s eyes watering. Your heart ached at the sight. You cared for your parents, of course you did, but you knew that a life without Loki would be miserable so you had to do it.

With a strong voice, you pushed one more time. “I believe I am a much better option. My faith is unwavering so I know I can do this. Please.”

Turning to mother, you looked at her pleadingly but you felt father’s grip tightening, making you look at him again. His eyes were red and the tears were falling freely. Nonetheless, he had a proud smile on his face.

“You have been a good daughter.”

Without realizing it, tears fell from your eyes as well. Laughing in relief, you stood up and rushed towards your parents, embracing them and crying together.

Loki, who stayed at the back of the room out of your sight, felt a pang of pain. It was never his purpose to separate you from your family, but love got in the way and he couldn’t deny the excitement he felt when he thought about the both of you together, for eternity.

***     *     *     ***

It was almost your turn.

The sound of the drums and chants were the only things you could hear. Everyone was silent, watching as one by one made their way to the table. As you waited for your turn, you fidgeted with your hands and looked around you. Observing the trees, you soaked in the sunlight that seeped through them and the warmth it brought to your body. You leaned down to pick up the fallen leafs on the ground and felt them, one more time.

You looked up as they motioned for you to get out and walk to the table. You took a deep breath and began to make your way towards it, your dress floating around as you walked right next to your family. Mother’s eyes were filled with tears and father’s lips were trembling, his eyes red and glistening. Brynjar and Sigrid were holding hands, looking at you with confusion. They probably wondered why you were going straight to the place were everyone died.

As you finally stood in front of the table, you turned around to face your parents, one more time. Smiling through the tears, they nodded and you smiled back. You were instructed to lie on it and stay still. As you laid there, you felt the fabric of your dress cling to your back thanks to the, now cold, blood of the previous sacrificed. Once they placed the blade on your neck, you felt your heart pump loud and fast. You took a deep breath and as you were to exhale, the sudden glide of the blade cut it short. Blood started pouring out and fell onto the table and then into a bowl. All you could see was the light coming from the sun until you closed your eyes, forever.

***     *     *     ***

Opening your eyes, you saw whiteness surround you. Was this Valhalla? As you were about to stand up you felt a presence beside you. Turning around you came face to face with a woman. She had dark and curly hair, her clothes resembled an armor but in a white colour. Smiling at you, she offered you her hand.

“Brunhilde, it’s nice to see you could make it here.”

Her voice was smooth but strong, and the way she smirked gave her an aura of confidence and strength. You took her hand and she used it to yank you up. You decided to introduce yourself, not wanting to come off as rude. Once you told her your name, her smirk widened.

“ _You_  are the famous mortal who has the God of Mischief blushing just by the mention of your name.” Rather than a question, she said it like a statement.

You couldn’t help but blush at her words. If she knew about you two, then it was very likely everyone else did too, whatever ‘everyone else’ meant.

Noticing your state, she let out a laugh and shook her head. “I guess it also applies to you. Come, I will take you to him.”

At this, your head perked up and you happily followed her, almost skipping in delight. The whiteness kept engulfing you when suddenly a golden entrance stood in front of you. Brunhilde opened the gates and stepped in and you were right behind her. She kept walking but this time her pace was faster, impossible for you to catch up. You saw her walking in the direction of a dark silhouette and you faintly heard them talking.

“She’s here, your Highness. Safe and sound.”

The silhouette nodded and began to walk towards you as Brunhilde disappeared. Anxious, you stood there, waiting. You saw the silhouette coming closer but it spoke before you could make out who it was.

“Welcome to Valhalla.” 

That voice. You’d recognize it anywhere. Smiling, you watched Loki walk until he stood right in front of you. 

He looked so ethereal. 

“Although, I believe we could be better somewhere else.”

His smile was bright and his eyes were shining with joy, he looked as handsome as ever but now he seemed to be  _alive_.

“Come on,” He motioned for you to get closer to him. “We’ve got an eternity to live and I can’t wait any longer.”

You beamed at him and ran towards him, hugging him tightly by his middle. He laughed at your eagerness and lifted your face, placing a loving kiss on your lips and you hummed, loving the feeling of his mouth on yours.

You felt a gentle tingling engulf your whole body and a blink later you were standing outside a different place. It looked like a palace but it was surrounded by columns and beautiful trees with vines entwining around the building. You turned your head to look at Loki and caught him already staring at you with a smile on his lips.

“Welcome to our home, my love.”

Grabbing your hand he lifted it and kissed it softly, savouring the feeling of you with him for the rest of your days.

Screw Odin and his feast,  _this_  was Valhalla.


End file.
